


Boss Meets Defender

by Shadowfishy



Category: League of Legends
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:35:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27439684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowfishy/pseuds/Shadowfishy
Summary: Sett is looking for someone that can help make his shows bigger, better and grander. He's heard of a brilliant inventor in Piltover that just might be able to make him something that will dazzle his audience. Sett takes off for Piltover in order to negotiate with the esteemed Defender of Tomorrow.
Relationships: Sett/Jayce
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	Boss Meets Defender

Confidence fueled the man’s steps, a necessary yet unplanned voyage to the city of the future. The Boss had explained his needed absence as a ‘business trip’, which in truth, could partially be considered as such. Sett knew of one man that had a remarkable talent for all things involving technology. He had heard of this ‘pretty boy’ defender of Piltover, one Jayce Giopara, who was a master of inventions, the sky being the limit in regards to what Jayce could create if he truly focused. However, Jayce was fickle, unwilling to commit to others’ propositions so willingly. Sett snorted at the thought. Jayce would accept his proposal whether he liked it or not. If Sett had to beat him into accepting, he just might ruin the defender’s day.

Truthfully, Sett had imagined bigger and brighter times for his Pit shows. It was one thing to beat dozens of challengers into pulp, each victory an opportunity for the beastman to gloat, showboat and dazzle the hundreds of onlookers. It was another to be able to add special effects, or lights, something that could be used on special occasions for that extra wow factor; It would surely net Sett even more profit. His entrepreneurial skills were unparalleled, at least in Sett’s opinion, so surely he must receive some praise for his ideas, right? Would the Giopara inventor see things his way?

Sett obviously didn’t fit into Piltovan society. Given his height, muscular build, and his swagger, it was obvious that he wasn’t a local. Sett was used to intimidated glances, people fleeing from him as he walked. A part of Sett genuinely enjoyed the power it gave him. Fear wasn’t the worst thing to instill upon the general public. Though Sett would give a confused expression upon walking the streets of Piltover, as though he was clearly an outcast, nobody seemed to cower in fear at the beastman. In fact, a couple strangers would stop in front of Sett, compliment his outfit, then ask where he got it. Sett would confusedly stammer out a reply, this sort of attention unprecedented in his lifetime. For all his showing off, his outfit seemed well-received by the Piltovan population. What a weird, flashy city… 

Given his newfound acceptance, Sett found it rather simple to find a knowledgeable individual who was able to point him in the direction of the Giopara residence. He was told he’d need an appointment, to which Sett would flippantly wave off such an idea. He was Sett. The Boss. Why would he ever need an appointment? The fighter soon finds himself at the doors of the Giopara mansion. An impressed whistle escaped the man’s lips, head tilted to the side to get a better view of the whole place. Sett could see himself in a place like this. Just how rich was the Giopara clan? He could see many rows of windows, multiple floors, what seemed like an indoor greenhouse, pool, a music room. He… Should probably stop peeking in at the place, lest someone believe him to be some sort of stalker creep. 

Sett takes care in knocking relatively gently on the door, having ruined a couple of doors in the past just from a lack of restraint. Sometimes he forgets that the general world around him isn’t made to withstand someone with his level of physical power. It only takes a few moments for a voice from an intercom to crackle to life. “Appointment?”

“Nah, but I-”

“Thank you, goodbye.” The voice is dismissive, quickly rejecting the man.

“To hell with that.” Sett’s temper begins to flare. With a little more strength this time, he thumps a closed fist on the door.

The intercom cracks to life once more. “No appointment, no entry.”

“Listen here, you little shit-” Sett growls into the intercom’s mic. “You got any idea who I am? Lookin’ for a guy named Jayce. He’s expectin’ me.”

There’s some commotion from the intercom, some muffled words that Sett couldn’t quite understand, then silence. The beastman stares at the intercom as if expecting for it to turn on again, but there’s only silence. He thinks he looks like a damn idiot, standing outside the door to this mansion, completely ignored by Piltovan elites. What a joke. He turns on his heel, ready to leave (and quite possibly planning to vandalize something as revenge for ‘wasting his time’), when the door opens behind him.

“Sett, right?”

Before him is… Definitely a pretty boy. Perfect face, semi-toned yet not bulky body, a coat with a fur collar that just screamed money (ironically, reminding Sett of his own jacket)... Yep. This was Jayce for sure.

“Jayce Giopara!” Sett’s voice is an amused growl. Lay it on thick, get what he wants, then leave. That’s all Sett had to do. 

“Sorry. New intern running door security today. Told him to let you in from now on.” With a gloved hand, Jayce beckons his guest inside. Jayce hadn't even bothered to ask him why he was here, or who he was.

Sett’s eyebrow raises again. There was no reason to be so… Trusting? Had he met Jayce before or something? “Expectin’ me to come back or something? You’re awfully trusting of someone that’s known to beat people into submission.” 

“You won’t hurt me.” Jayce’s tone makes it sound factual, as if he’d somehow foreseen this exact interaction. It was eerie, Sett’s fur bristling with suspicion.

“So sure of yourself. Well, alright. Listen, I’m-”

“You want me to do something for you. Everybody that visits wants something. I won’t waste either of our time, as we’re both very busy people. I know who you are, Sett, and I know what you do. The Pits are a well-documented location in certain Noxian articles. And, y’know. We get advertisements all the time to come see shows. You’re not exactly one to keep a low profile.”

“You’re one to talk, poster boy. You enjoy seein’ your face plastered up around the city?”

“Not particularly, but it’s a pretty good face. I suppose there’s worse mugs to line your city with. One with a blatant nose scar for example...” Jayce’s quip comes naturally, a smirk creeping upon the man’s face.

Surprisingly, Sett cracks a grin. Not every day you get to banter with someone like that. It felt… Natural? As if they had somehow been friends before. “Alright, alright. Get on with it, Giopara. You gonna hear me out or not?”

Jayce taps his chin, one eye half-squinting as if he wasn’t sure of his answer. What a hammy actor he was! Even Sett could understand that Jayce had already made up his mind long ago, probably before Sett ever stepped foot inside the mansion. “I’ll hear you out. Not guaranteeing anything, but let’s hear it.”

“I want you to gimme somethin’ that can set up shows. Fists are great, but it’s my own personality that really gets the crowds goin’, y’know? Hype up the crowds, showboat a little… Long as the performance is good, and someone gets knocked out, then my crowd’s happy. But, if I wanna boost sales-”

“You want something that gives you some lighting, or some extra sounds, music even… Makes the crowd that much more pumped up, and boosts your possible profits. Might even open yourself up to a bigger crowd if you can play music or something that entices people from all over Runeterra too.”

“Uh... Yeah, exactly that.” Sett nods. “You get it, right?”

Jayce chuckles. “It’s not that hard to figure out your logic. My mind’s unrivalled for many reasons, Sett, and it isn’t solely because of my inventions. My answer’s maybe. But it’ll take some time, given the size of the order. You’re essentially asking me for an overhaul of primitive Pit systems. I’d be making everything from scratch.”

“Great. How long? A week? Two?”

“I’ll let you know. Depends on how I feel. But rest assured, the quality will far exceed your expectations.” Almost all of his work far exceeded the expectations of those that requested things from him. And inevitably, this specific request would exceed Sett’s already presumably lofty expectations.

“Great.” Sett repeats. He’d hold that to Jayce. If he received anything less than perfection, he’d definitely make a ‘complaint’.

“Anything else I can help you with?” Jayce’s tone remains ‘all business’. It’s not that he didn’t like Sett, in fact it was quite the opposite. Business was just business. He wouldn’t jeopardize any negotiations with jovial talk. 

“Nah. You’re good. Appreciate meetin’ with me without an appointment.” Sett rubs the back of his head. This whole polite shit was starting to get a little uncomfortable.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s typical Giopara policy, but if I know you, I don’t see any reason to deny a conversation. The Pits are… Interesting. I’d be inclined to watch every now and then.”

Sett’s ears perk up, a glint in his eyes. It was time to cast aside the polite, formal act. “Then there’s one solution. You’re comin’. Best seat in the house.”

“I figure even if I were to say no, you wouldn’t accept that answer.”

“Damn right.” Sett chuckles. “Least I can do is put on the best fuckin’ show I’ve ever given. Right?” Sett reaches out to clap the other man on the shoulder. There’s a devilish grin from the beastman that even makes Jayce smile wide.

“Fine. Though you won’t find me participating.”

“Aw, pretty boy doesn’t like gettin’ his hands dirty? A shame. Think you could do well in my pit.”

Jayce scoffs. He’s somehow feeling friendlier than usual. Sett’s formal facade is starting to crumble, and it’s clear that he’s in good spirits now. It was an infectious attitude. How could he not like Sett? Though a Giopara, Jayce would much prefer a casual conversation, informality highly preferred to the overly-strict rules and regulations of high Piltovan society. It all seemed more real when you could talk amongst each other in your realest state, formal garb and societal titles cast aside for the sake of a genuine interaction. That, and Jayce detested formal parties. Who even liked dancing to classical music and eating tiny portions of food anyway? “You’d have to try harder to convince me. Y’know, for a beastly bastard, you’re alright.”

Sett flashes a grin, canines glinting in the light. He swings a muscular arm around the inventor’s shoulders, pulling him in close. “Not half bad yourself, pretty boy. Your city’s pretty cool too. Might have to stop by more often. None of ‘em even feared me. Kinda disappointed, but what can ya do?”

“It’s probably the outfit.” Jayce sighs, an eyeroll indicating he wasn’t quite comfortable with being pulled in towards the other’s bare chest. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you bought your coat at the same place I did.”

“Heh, hah! Yeah, thought the same thing earlier.”

“Though typically no Piltovan citizen would find themselves quite so… Bare.” Jayce lightly punches the other’s stomach, knowing full well that it would barely be felt by the beastman. However it’s his surprise when Sett pretends to double over, one eye closed as if he’d suddenly been blasted with a cannonball to the chest.

“Agh, got me. Super strong, Giopara. Might have a chance at kickin’ my ass.” The melodramatic tone really sold Sett’s performance here. How ridiculous. He was thankful they were in private quarters. Something about Jayce made Sett feel comfortable, The Boss being much more playful and childish with Jayce than he was in his regular line of work. Sett wouldn’t look for an explanation, but much like Jayce’s natural trusting of Sett, Sett chose to blatantly trust Jayce back, his currently playful persona to be seen only by the inventor and himself. They would never speak of this again, surely.

“Easy now. Don’t wanna waste all that performative talent on me, hmm? But I appreciate the thought.” And with that, Jayce firmly grasps either side of Sett’s golden belt, pulling him forwards so that they’d make eye contact. The defender’s aggressive grasp and pull of The Boss himself would have earned him a beating, if not for Sett’s sudden fondness of Jayce. 

Sett growls in response, attempting to give Jayce an intimidating look. “You thinkin’ grabbin’ me like that’s a good idea?”

“Could be. Don’t you prefer boldness? What’re you gonna do about it, beastman?” Jayce tilts his head as if to challenge Sett’s authority.

“Oho, so it’s gonna be like that huh?” Sett takes an imposing stance before the shorter male, though his grin betrays his intentions. Their eyes remain locked, neither man wishing to back down from their current ‘confrontation’. The longer they stared at each other, the more Sett would analyze every facial feature of Piltover’s poster boy. Clear skin, piercing yet pretty eyes, a killer jawline… Hm. Sett bit his lip. He would not fall for Jayce today, he wouldn’t allow it. Yet, Sett would admit that Jayce had a certain easiness on the eyes. If Jayce played his cards right, Sett might even compliment him without complimenting himself in the process. Jayce was a lucky man to inherit such… Assets, so easily. 

Jayce on the other hand, seemed relatively interested as well, though his face was a complete stone wall. In Jayce’s mind, he was focusing on Sett’s hair, and nose scar. Distinct features that would give Sett’s presence away from miles away. Though his size was intimidating, Jayce felt nothing but respect and fascination. Sett was an experienced fighter, his form showing as much, and yet he sure cleaned up nicely. His jacket respectably fitting him well, clearly well-preserved and cleaned with the utmost care, his pants while tight, made from expensive material that fit his form. Jayce was impressed. A supposed ‘beastman bastard’ making a name for himself, his image oozing class and appeal, was an impressive sight. He would definitely like to see Sett again. “I’d highly suggest comin’ back for a visit, in the near future. Maybe even stay a bit? Got plenty of rooms, if you ever need some time away from work.”

“Just might take you up on that offer. You got a nice place. Did I see an indoor pool and a greenhouse earlier?”

“Yep. We have three pools, an indoor greenhouse, rec rooms, an indoor gym. Anything you want, we probably got. How’s that sound?”

Sett lets out a pleased sigh. “Like the fuckin’ shit, man. Why haven’t I visited Piltover ‘til now?”

“You’ve had no reason to come. But now you do. Got a friend you can visit and spend some time with. And likewise…” Jayce nods at him. “You got a buddy to entertain if I ever get some time.”

“You know it. Now, as pleasant as this all was, and believe me, it’s pretty telling that nobody’s broken a bone or gotten a black eye from yours truly, would’ja mind lettin’ me go?” Jayce had still been holding him by the hips. Their entire conversation had happened so close together, with such an absurd amount of attention focused upon one another that Jayce hadn’t realized he’d still been grabbing Sett. 

The inventor immediately releases him, one hand sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. “Whoops. Sorry ‘bout that. So, stop by next week? Sound good?” He was very quick to change the focus, not wishing to dwell on his awkwardness there.

“Absolutely.” And Sett turns to leave, ducking through the doorframe to step out into the busy Piltovan cityscape once more. “And, yo. Pretty boy. Uh…” Sett stalls, looking around to make sure nobody could hear him. Then, he utters a simple thanks, nods his appreciation at Jayce, smiles, then leaves. 

“What a strange, strange guy…” Jayce comments, chuckling to himself and waving the other goodbye. He closes the door and gets himself some coffee before getting to work right away. Well, now he just had to make sure Sett’s expectations would be blown out of the water.


End file.
